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Your single “red letter” is so unbelievably beautiful, I can’t get enough! What was your inspiration for writing this track? Rivka: Thank you so much! My inspiration was nothing more and nothing less than my own insecurities when it comes to relationships of all kinds. I constantly overthink things and doubt the people around me when they say or act like they care about me. And it isn't anything they're doing wrong, I just let my anxiety get the best of me. When did your love for music and theatre begin? Did you know from then it was something you wanted to pursue? Rivka: I was raised with music, film, and theatre all my life. It was something I constantly experienced in my home with my family. It was everywhere ever since I was born, and I've always known that that was what I wanted to do with my life. I got over the "magic" of movies pretty early on and was very aware that everyone up on the screen was playing pretend, and I was always fascinated by how they did that and knew that was what I wanted to do. Songwriting is actually a very recent addition to my artistic journey, being the hobby I picked up during quarantine like most everyone else. And it soon became another passion of mine. Who would you say are your biggest inspirations when it comes to your writing and music style? Rivka: Anything from old classics to modern music. I was raised on bands such as Led Zeppelin and Queen, and those will always be my personal favorites. But I'm also a proud Gen Z and grew up experiencing all those iconic songs on the radio that everyone my age knows and can sing along to. And even very recent artists such as Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have been inspirations as well. To see people my age, especially women, be so successful in their artistry is such an incredible thing to witness, and they've become voices of an entire generation. How are you liking studying at the Tisch School at NYU?! Rivka: It is a whirlwind. It's intense, but so rewarding. To be in an environment where I can cultivate my love for performing and keep growing as an artist is an immense privilege, and it's so gratifying to be among peers who not only share the same passions as you, but are also so incredibly supportive. Professors have a hard time controlling us when it comes to clapping and cheering after one of us performs in front of the class, and it's such an incredible feeling to feel that support as well as give it away. Since you’re a musical theatre student, what’s your favorite production you’ve ever been in or role you’ve played? Rivka: I was a part of many incredible productions when I was in high school. That was where I tested my grounds, pushed my limits, and grew as a performer in preparation for college auditions. Some of my favorite shows I did were "The Addams Family" because it was my very first time doing a musical, "The Medium" because it was my very first experience performing opera and was such a great process, and "The Secret Garden" which we unfortunately weren't able to perform due to the pandemic, but it was a student-led production which gave us so much creative freedom. It is also a beautiful show, and it was written by women which is a rare but incredible feat. What can we expect next from you?! Any upcoming projects you can discuss? I’m so excited to hear more from you!! Rivka: Right now I'm in my second year at NYU, so that keeps me pretty busy, as well as doing student films to add to my screen acting experience. But I'm also of course working on new music, so definitely keep an eye out for new songs in the future. Meanwhile, my new EP "Lost&Found" is out now on all platforms. Thank you so much! Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW RIVKA:

“All My Friends Are Getting Married” by Trey Ewald explores the deep-rooted fear, uncertainty and anxiety of feeling behind in life and being surprised by it. Everyone’s timeline is different, but feelings of moving at the “right” or “wrong” pace are often dictated by the collective timelines of those in your inner circle. Ewald dives into his anxiety regarding being the last one of his friends to have found his person despite taking the same steps as them, openly struggling with the dichotomy of feeling like he wasted his time on the wrong person but also with the reality that moving at your own pace isn’t a waste at all. The melody is catchy and apt, elevating the themes of the song through its production. This is most evident during the chorus when the backing track, which contains higher notes, drops to a consistent base during the chorus where Ewald fully discloses his unease. In lines such as “I'm just getting over girls that aren't right for me/I don't know why I can't keep up with reality” and “Now I'm chasing after something that's ahead of me,” he candidly addresses two closely related roots of his disquiet–initially the lack of having found the right person, and more deeply the realization that he’s at a different stage in life than his friends and wants to be where they are but isn’t ready yet. He then dives deeper, showing that this juxtaposition between where he is and where he thinks he should be–especially considering that he tried, just with the wrong person–is affecting him greatly in the line “Making me think I'm broken/And I'm starting to think it might be true/Now I'm losing my focus/'Cause I gave everything I had to you.” Though the subject matter is somewhat heavy, Ewald lightens the mood with a clean, dancy production, encouraging listeners to find humor and fun in their situations. “All My Friends Are Getting Married” is intelligently written and relevantly produced as it wholly discloses genuine fears that many people today struggle with. Trey Ewald is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Although he’s participated in numerous bands and projects over the years, Ewald relaunched his solo project after discovering like-minded collaborators to hone a new sound that draws from more wide-ranging influences than any of his previous endeavors. The combination of his polished-pop mastery and lyrics taken straight from his self-aware, humorous notes app is reflected in his newest single “All My Friends Are Getting Married.” This single exemplifies the sound he considers to be the most “him” as it incorporates an extremely wide variety of musical influences while demonstrating the potential of his future trajectory. Written By Adelae Norwood FOLLOW TREY EWALD:

In a track that harnesses the fragility of being honest, we’re given “Alarms” by ROE. It’s a track that instantly drags your attention and warms you up with a vulnerable light with its meaning and sound. A sonic production headed with an acoustic guitar and some piano, giving a quality melody for her striking vocals. It’s a track that speaks for itself, the lyrics imbuing themselves in your mind as they bring up the moments of desperation that live within our past. ROE keeps this track in “That’s When The Panic Sets In” and uses it to round out the thoughts and emotions she wanted to outline with her album. With this newest single, “Alarms” we are greeted with a dreamy melody built with an impactful feeling and her strong vocals. She sings with an open heart, bearing her soul for her listeners within this track. ROE sings, “That’s when the panic starts to settle in/And I’ll do my best/But I’m so full of empty promises”. It’s describing the anxiety that settles in our chests, wanting to achieve everything we put ourselves to doing but not having the best track record of doing so. It’s a heart-wrenching song that people can relate to—one that fits so well as the finishing track of her album. “Alarms” is the last single of ROE’s debut album, “That’s When The Panic Sets In” released on the 23rd of September. This album is a documentary of ROE’s inner thoughts, feelings, and insecurities, recently showing a vulnerable side of her that helped her realize how capable and talented she is. For this album, ROE will perform a couple of times in late September and will go on a full UK tour in the Spring of 2023. With her devastatingly sincere and relatable meanings and sound, ROE stands to be a singer/songwriter to aims to pour her heart into her words to gain an audience who relates. Written by Jane Katryn FOLLOW ROE:

Time always seems to move so fast—we can’t get enough of it, and every single thing we do is so that we can hopefully get some more. But in our quest to enjoy our life, we’re filling it with all the stuff we sadly have to encounter, like stress, terrible news stories, work, toxic social media, and everything else. In a song to speak about taking back our time and using it the way we want, Aleks Grey and Iselin bring us “Five Minutes”. A mellow pop-sounding track to take back the time we already have to spend just how we want to—to give ourselves a break and spend just five minutes to liberate ourselves from the world’s struggles. With fantastic harmonies in this mellow pop feel, Aleks Grey and Iselin showcase a relatable message within a beautiful, emotion-filled song. It has strings to take you on a lush journey, with warm elements to relax you and create a swirling atmosphere to ground you in the beauty of the present. The song starts gently, guiding us with their beautiful vocals to calm us down in turbulent times. They sing, “Can we just listen to Holocene/and shut out all the noise that’s been keeping us down lately?/Cause lately it’s been too much”. It’s a lyric that holds the entire song’s meaning, telling us how they want to stop with the chaos—not focus on the big picture and realize that they have the time now to enjoy what they have. They harmonize wonderfully, singing, “I just want to hold you,” and showing a lovely picture of how they care for one another and want to spend the time they have to enjoy the company of one another and block out the world. These two Oslo-based talented artists, Aleks Grey and Iselin bring us a fantastic track with “Five Minutes” collaborating to remind their listeners how to take the time to listen to their wants in the present, shutting out the world around them. They’ve both gained momentum online, with Aleks Grey being streamed over a million times on Spotify and Iselin being featured on Alan Walker’s “Faded” and “Sing Me To Sleep”. With this track and hopefully more in the future, the two artists are establishing their names and gaining traction with their talents. Written by Jane Katryn FOLLOW ALEKS GREY: FOLLOW ISELIN:

The solo debut of Grace Gadot, “Fuckbouy Tragety” depicts a twisted fairytale of the modern love of today and the fuckboys that follow. Utilizing a witty approach while referencing Shakespeare in both English and Spanish lyrics. Drawing influence from a cross cultural upbringing, her newest song allows grace to bring together pieces of her own broken fairytale. A melodic hypnosis of a song, Grace creates a melodic song that when paired with the lyrics creates the song of a scorned seductress. The song mirrors latin inspired beats creating a strong sense of rhythm for the song to be based off of. The lyricism pairs perfectly with this creating a strong rhythm to carry the song. Throughout the various parts of the song the rhythm changes allowing for various parts of the lyrics or tune to emphasized such as within the last chorus of the song. Combined the various aspects of the song create a harmonious sound that perfectly complements Grace’s voice. While she was born in England, Grace grew up in Spain before returning to London at 17. Behind a singer/songwriter she began her musical career at a young age. From dancing to pop stars such as Lady Gaga, to Abba she progressed to choreographing her own shows, improvising lyrics and melodies with a dream to follow. Now newly signed with the dare-to-be-different FIVE Music label, she is all set to light up 2022. With her newest release quickly gaining traction, Grace’s Career is sure to take off. Written By Gillian Mena FOLLOW GRACE GACHOT:

“Fmk” by GAYLE x blackbear is a gritty pop hit. This song gives you an electric feeling that will make you want to yell the chorus from the top of your lungs. “Fmk” pulls you in with its unapologetic tone that describes the feelings of love to a point of madness, a song that takes you along into a moment of intense feelings of a stirring relationship. GAYLE's unfiltered vurnablility throughout this song, give a sense of comoft and releif. Almost as though this song is a PSA about uncharted feelings within a relationship. In all the best ways, “fmk” will be stuck in your head for weeks to come. Intimate acoustic guitar chords start off the track and continue into a sentiment of emotions. Soon after, an abrupt change of pace welcomes the chorus with head nodding production and witty lyricism. The clever play on words that allude to the childhood game, “kiss, marry, kill” is what I think makes GAYLE and blackbear the pinnacle of rising pop. As the song comes to an end, the bridge greets you with beautifully airy and cosmic vocals. It goes without saying that the bridge is one of my personal highlights of this track. "Fmk" is only one of the six tracks on GAYLE's second album "a study of the humuan experience, volume two." GAYLE is an American singer that has gained great notoriety on Tik Tok. Her song “ABCDEFU” charted worldwide reaching a larger audience. She started writing music as young as twelve years old, collaborating with her friends and family to make songs. Featured in this track, we have blackbear. Also known as Mathew Musto, blackbear approaches his style of music with inspirations from alternative hip hop and pop scenes. He has released six studio albums gaining over 20 million listeners on many platforms. Written By Brielle Pattillo FOLLOW GAYLE: FOLLOW BLACKBEAR:

Q: ‘Cigarettes & Heartbreak’ is so beautiful! What is the story behind the song? Jazzie: Thank you so much! It really turned out to be one of my favorite songs post production, there’s a real ‘indie vibed out’ element to it that not a lot of my previous songs have had. The song is really about the end of a relationship and that period of time where you’ve been separated for a bit and you know that its for the best, but you can’t quite seem to get that person fully out of your system. It's really about the lingering dull ache that comes with ending something that wasn’t ultimately fulfilling. The idea behind the lyrics ‘cigarettes & heartbreak on repeat’ specifically really was linked to a particular guy that I was seeing who reminded me of cigarette smoke and rollercoaster emotions, that was our relationship wrapped up into a few words for me. Q: What was it like to film the music video for this song? Jazzie: This music video actually came together rather seamlessly. Filming was so fun and easy that I almost forgot it was work. We had filmed in the same location the day before for my music video “27 club”, and its one of those sets that feels like a real life 1970s apartment. So by the second day of filming, it started to feel like home. The crew that was on this shoot, along with all of the other videos from this EP, was super small so it allowed for a lot of play time and experimentation when it came to filming. My director/DP, Shelby Parks, and I decided last minute to draw faces on this one red balloon and kind of make him the place holder for the person I was singing the song about, and it just took the video in such a fun direction. Aesthetically speaking, I also really enjoyed how the video came out. Q: How did growing up in California influence your music career? Jazzie: So, I actually was born in Northern California but we moved when I was only one years old due to our house burning down. It wasn’t until I graduated college that I moved back to California! But even though I didn’t grow up here, I feel like California has so many songs written about it, and so many movies that it was still influential to me and my artistry. It’s an ideal that can be really inspiring even if you aren’t physically here. Q: What is your personal favorite out of the songs you have released? You can only pick one! Jazzie: That’s so hard! It really depends on what mood I’m in, however I guess at the moment I’d have to say 27 club. Q: Who would you say has been your biggest influence? Jazzie: You know I’ve thought about this a lot but I don’t think I can really point towards one specific person. Like most people I’ve listened to music and been surrounded by it through my family since I was very young. So there are so many artists and bands that I’ve been exposed to and loved over the years, and I think that love and connection to a single song or artist is so inspiring even if you don’t end up writing in a similar genre. I think that’s why my music doesn’t fully fit into a specific genre category, because it’s this culmination of experiences and different artists and genres. Q: What is some of the best advice you have received? Jazzie: Write music that feels authentic to you. As long as you’re doing things you genuinely love, people will be able to tell. And I think that’s something I’ve learned with the production element, I always try to let the song guide me in the direction it wants to go instead of forcing it to be something it isn’t. People can really tell when you’re trying to put off something that isn’t authentic, it just doesn’t work. I’m working a lot on following my intuition and my own desires as opposed to following what other people think is ‘good’ or ‘right’. Interviewed By Kendall Koval FOLLOW JAZZIE:

Colaine's most recent single "Honest (Would it Have Killed You?) should be your new go-to breakup song. The relatable pain of this song is what will bring the listener in. It's a song where almost anyone can put themselves in the writer's shoes and feel the situation's misery. According to Colaine, this piece is about someone who told you they were not ready for a relationship. But after telling you that, you find out that they have begun a new relationship with someone who isn't you. Ouch, right? She puts that abhorrent situation into a pop track, and it is a great listen. The frustration and confusion come through in even the title of the song, hinting at the discontent. Would it have killed you to just say you were not interested? My immediate thought of this song was that it reminds me of the Australian R&B band Chase Atlantic. It begins with a dreamy instrumental before the harmonized vocals come into the mix. The layers to her vocals add a distorted sound to the song, adding to the affliction and annoyance this song sings about. Another artist this track reminded me of was singer-songwriter Blackbear, Honest (Would it Have Killed you?) has similar sounds to him. Unlike typical scorned love songs, Colaine never even dated the person she wrote this song about. This is the song you blast at full volume in the car while driving down the highway at one in the morning, screaming along to the lyrics with your best friend whilst you do. Colaine is a young Nashville Tennessee-based pop artist who is just getting her start in the industry. The young artist frequently posts and promotes her music on her TikTok account. She also touches on her mental health struggles occasionally on the account. Colaine started releasing music on her Spotify account in April 2021. She displays a gen-z sense of humor on her Twitter and other social media accounts. Written By Emma Kimberli FOLLOW COLAINE:

Ever wake up in the morning and can't decide what to wear, or what to eat. How about all those times where you think back to a situation from years ago, and rethink everything you did. It's this over-analysis that is the topic of Yoyo Nagase's smooth new track "I Don't Care." Inspired by all of those thoughts and moments of indecisiveness, Nagase creates one of the smoothest and most relatable songs to come out this year. The track features a smooth, almost soft-pop vibe. Instrumentation ranges from instruments such as drums that almost sound like bongos, saxophone, acoustic guitar, and shakers. Each instrument plays into the vibe of the track as it feels very atmospheric. The track also features three other artists, Pluto Koi, A Kid Named Rufus, and Pretty Havoc. Each artist brings their own flare to the track in the forms of vocals or instumentation. The lyrics delve into the topic of overthinking, and even Nagase said they "started to overthink the lyrics." Throughout the track Nagase discusses the topic of random thoughts they've had about situations that might've happened years ago. It's this indecisiveness that drives the track, to the point that Nagase's chorus gives us exactly what happens when your mind feels like a jumbled mess in the form of la's, "La la la la la // I don't care so I'll just." Yoyo Nagase is an up-and-coming indie pop artist based in New Haven, Connecticut. "I Don't Care.," is Nagase's second single of 2022. It follows his track "Rewind" from March of this year. "I Don't Care." is also the first of two singles that are set to feature fellow artists Pluto Koi, A Kid Named Rufus, and Pretty Havoc. Nagase got his start back in 2020 with his debut single "City Lights." With a knack for blending the smooth sounds of R&B with the brightness of pop, Nagase is shaping up to create a career set for the stars. Written By Kyle Stiver FOLLOW YOYO:

An incredible display of passion and desire for something unobtainable, HOLMES’ new single, “Love me not him” is about not wanting to let go of that special someone, even when all odds are against you. It’s a quintessential pop track with dark rock undertones, deriving from the hard hitting drum and fervent electric guitar. HOLMES doesnt give up hope; this song was made as an anthem for those going through the wringer in their love life, but not giving up without a fight. The overall composition gives off a feeling of adventure and perseverance through these tough times. A mixture of current pop elements on top of a classic early 2000’s rock instrumental. His deep, emotional and sophisticated tone is a staple voice for a love song where walls are torn down and vulnerability is on display. The sounds within the chorus like the tethering synths and gripping guitar riffs perfectly embody the passion and array of feelings that transpire in the midst of lost love. Subsequently, HOLMES speeds up the bridge, adding necessary tension that compliments the premise of wanting that person back. “Times have changed, theyre not the same…youre missing on what we could be, so love me”. It’s a tale of choosing between two people, imploring that they choose you. Even when things are over, and you think you've moved on, those faint moments reliving the good memories seem to always creep up, making us wish things were how they used to be. HOLMES is a fresh indie pop/rock singer/songwriter originally from the North East of England. He entered the year 2022 with a mission to share his music with the world, debuting with his first single, “If It Was Up To Me”, followed by “Never Learning and “Love Me Not Him”. You can hear the versatility in his voice in all three tracks. In such a short period of time, his music has been heard on streaming platforms, radio stations and when he performs live. HOLMES, whose main purpose in creating music is to connect people together, is currently working on more projects and has alot more coming your way, so keep an ear out! Written By Mia Mangione FOLLOW HOLMES

Congratulations on the release of your new single “Summer Love” featuring Sophia Goln! Can you share with us the creative process for this track and what inspired you to produce it? Chase: Thanks! This track has been in the works for about 2 years so it’s great to finally have it out. Sophia and I started working on it in the midst of the pandemic, so the recordings were done both virtually and in-person, which created some challenges. We both shared a similar vision for the song, though many different versions of the track existed before we settled on the final version you hear now. After producing the original demo, I felt something was missing, so I called upon my good friend Stoyan (aka Universe Hopper) to lay down some guitar, which I think really brings the whole track together. What instruments did you learn to play when you were younger? How did you use your knowledge of music to teach yourself how to DJ? Chase: I started playing piano around the age of 4, then played some guitar and drums. I took a short DJ lesson at the age of 12 while on holidays and instantly fell in love. From there I spent most of my teenage years teaching myself how to DJ and produce music (shoutout to Youtube tutorials). My background in piano is still the foundation of how I write music today. Most of my songs start off with messing around on the piano or playing some simple chords and melodies, and then I kind of just go crazy from there. How did you find Sophia Goln and end up collaborating with her? The two of you working together is just absolute magic! Chase: Sophia and I were both founders of a group called Music for Mental Health. We wrote music together as part of that group, before branching out into some of our own projects. Sophia not only has an incredible voice, but an amazing ability to improvise over almost any music. Often when I’m recording with her in a studio or just in my room, I give her a beat and tell her to go wild over it with some runs and harmonies and she always kills it. Beyond being super easy to work with, we also just seemed to click really well and have a similar mentality towards music so we’ll hopefully have lots more music coming in the future! Tell us more about your non-profit organization and record label, “Music for Mental Health"! Chase: Music for Mental Health has easily been one of the most special projects I’ve ever been a part of. It came to existence out of a group chat of students at our University that were interested in helping people through music during the midst of the pandemic, when students' mental health was at an all-time low. We came up with the idea to send out forms where students could write about their mental health experiences, and then we use their words to write the lyrics of our music. The goal is to share the story of what it’s like to live with, and persevere through various mental health struggles. Our community quickly grew to hundreds of students interested in what we were doing, so we incorporated as a non-profit so that we could distribute music from students at other schools. I’m currently the Vice-President and Director of Operations of Music for Mental Health, and helping to lead the expansion of the organization into more schools across Canada and beyond. You can learn more about our community here: https://www.musicformentalhealth.ca/ What has been your favorite gig you’ve performed so far? Any specific memories that stuck with you? Chase: My favorite gig by far was playing at our University’s nightclub on campus called “The Pit”. While I always enjoy playing music, it’s 1000x better when you know so many of the people in the crowd. Literally no better feeling in the world than seeing the joy you can bring to peoples face with the right song! I know you’re releasing a new single every month of 2022, which is incredible btw, so what can we expect for the rest of the releases?! I cannot wait to hear more! Chase: As any musician will tell you, we have hundreds of songs that are 90% finished, it's getting that last 10% done and sending it off to be published that's the hardest part. Therefore this year I set the personal goal to try to get a song out every month, just to track my progress over time. I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different sounds and genres, so expect to keep hearing an interesting mix of some hopefully unique music. In general, I’ve been trying to get out of the habit of writing slow, sad, songs and bring some more upbeat vibes. I view the music creation process as more of a music discovery process though, so I never try to limit what kind of music I’ll make. As long as it vibes, it's a go. Interviewed By Sarah Curry FOLLOW CHASE:

If you ever felt like you had to convince yourself that you made the right decision in breaking up with an ex, "Oh Well," by Georgia Hoareau should definitely be added to your jam out/motivational playlist. With the songs amazing and catchy electronic rhythms and accompaniment combined with its powerful lyricism, the singer truly connects with the listeners emotions and pain, trying to convince them that, 'I have been there too, but 'Oh well,' they lost a great one, but we will BOTH get through this!' "Oh Well," by Georgia Hoareau is a song that reflects on her time post-breakup where she learns to come to terms with letting go of the relationship and moving forward, with its early 2000's punk-rock rhythm and accompaniment it truly captures this theme. As she grows to find a renewed confidence, alongside the recovery of her own mental state and the independence brought on by her separation, she throws all of these bad memories into a cannon and fires it back at us, the listeners, to emphasize, warn, or motivate us to the realization that we are incredible people with baggage and you will overcome this obstacle and become better and stronger from it! Georgia Hoareau is an eighteen-year-old singer/songwriter from the Gold Coast, Australia. She is quickly becoming known for her refreshingly authentic storytelling lyrics & deceptively warm, memorable melodies. Carving out her own space with her unique blend of heartbroken lyrics and bright production, she’s bringing a new kind of hopeful sadness through her songs. Only recently out of high school, Georgia has already gained attention from local media & early momentum has led to two finalist nominations at the recent Gold Coast Music Awards, so if you want to keep up with Georgia's musical journey be sure to follow her socials down below! Written By: Troy Sica FOLLOW GEORGIA HOAREAU: